We’ve seen plenty of leaked pictures of Samsung’s upcoming 4.7” Galaxy Alpha in both black and white. However, the Galaxy Note 4 “phablet” has been more elusive despite the fact that the smartphone is less than a month away from its official unveil.

Today we’re getting our first clear look at the Galaxy Note 4, and it appears to take its styling cues come more from the Galaxy Alpha than the Galaxy S5. Like the Galaxy Alpha, the Galaxy Note 4 appears to have a metal ring outlining its perimeter, but includes the pleather material on the back that has been featured on previous Galaxy Note models.

I've never ever had the issue of a phone slipping out of my hand. What is the size of the phones you have that do this? Are they simply larger phones like 5.5"-6"? That I can possibly see an issue with.

Possibly so. But damn, samsung are even worse than apple now with just refreshing the same old tired designs. and as much as i dislike apple products, i'd take apple over samsung, at least apples boring bigger refreshes are actually built to a high standard instead of cheap feeling crappy plastic phone after cheap feeling crappy plastic phone.

"samsung are even worse than apple now with just refreshing the same old tire d designs."

THAT is actually what it looks like. hehehe

"as much as i dislike apple products, i'd take apple over samsung, at least apples boring bigger refreshes are actually built to a high standard instead of cheap feeling crappy plastic phone after cheap feeling crappy plastic phone"

Agreed (at the risk of reclaimer going off on me). Samsung has been on the the boring/rehash of the same design train for a while now.

I wouldn't actually "buy" either, we were just referring to the design aesthetic and quality. At that, you have to admit Samsung design aesthetic has gotten boring. As for quality, I still think it's cheaply made... And, it's no "little circle jerk" that thinks that.

Here is a poll from a well known Android fan site. Of 2767 voters that visit this Android fan site, 59% think Sammy products biggest weakness is "design and build quality".

I'm reminded of the HTC One. Finally a "quality" Android handset to save us from the "cheap plastic" of Samsung.

All I can say is, if even half those people meant what they said, the HTC One wouldn't have flopped while the Galaxy S4 went on to sell 40+ million units.

You're talking about a survey of 2k+ people representing an extreme minority, in a market that caters to over 100 million people. And I'm sure more than a few Apple fans are participating in this "Android fan" survey.

quote: you have to admit Samsung design aesthetic has gotten boring

Boring, exciting....these are things an Apple buyer would judge in a phone.

I wonder how many people bought an HTC one and thought, hmm, this is actually flimsy.

Yet from my own experience, i can name 3 people just from my kitchen who have had samsung S# and have all complained about the build quality during discussion of upgrades.

And what has sales figures got to do with anything? If we were going on sales figures we would all be in agreement that the Surface Pro 3 must be of a hugely inferior quility and visual design (because that is what we're talking about remember...)compared to a samsung tablet. Samsungs flagship phones are cheaply built, htc's isn't. This isn't some opinion. This is simply the way it is. But silly of me, your opinion is the way it is, i often forget that.

I didn't lend my opinion here at all. I specifically said I'm staying out of it.

I find it ironic that you'll place more stock in the myopic stories of 3 people from "your kitchen" than proven sales numbers. Which have everything to do with this. One is hearsay, the other is quantifiable fact.

Speaking of kitchen, are you the fry cook? Because you have the grammar and writing ability of someone who dropped out of middle school.

What has my grammar got to do with it? And FYI, this "fry chef" has an unconditional offer for uni this year for business and psychology. Way to try and derail things by trying to get personal though.

And you are talking about sales numbers again. Yet in one small kitchen I can provide you with 3 contributions to that sales figure who agree thatthey are cheaply made. Read any review there is that compares the Samsung to the HTC one. Every single one agrees wholeheartedly that the HTC one is of a fantastic build quality, and the Samsung is left in the dust in comparison. Why does that upset you so much? Remember, this discussion is about build quality and visual design, it has nothing to do with sales figures. Or are you agreeing that apple phones are amazing, would you like me to quote you some sales figures to apparently prove that?

"All I can say is, if even half those people meant what they said, the HTC One wouldn't have flopped while the Galaxy S4 went on to sell 40+ million units."

I was just point out that it isnt some small amount of people that think this. You keep hearing it because alot of people keep talking about it... If you want to go by sales #'s then the iPhone sold what, 100 million or more?

"You're talking about a survey of 2k+ people representing an extreme minority"

Come on, you know what a survey is and what it is for and what it represents. If you cant see it, then fine, but know that it exists and that many others do see it." And I'm sure more than a few Apple fans are participating in this "Android fan" survey."

Really? You are asserting that some assload of Apple users goes to a popular Android fansite to vote in a poll and gives Samsung bad build quality ratings and gives Sony, HTC, LG, Moto good ratings? I cant even...

quote: I was just point out that it isnt some small amount of people that think this.

Sigh...my point was plain. If this is true, why does Samsung outsell like the top 4 device makers combined year after year?

We can use myopic surveys and throw opinions around all we want. At the end of the day, these obviously represent a fringe minority.

This is as far as I'm willing to go on this. I know what you think, you know what I think. But trying to make it bigger than that gets us nowhere.

quote: Come on, you know what a survey is and what it is for and what it represents.

How does an online survey of like two thousand people somehow invalidate over 40 MILLION people going out and intentionally purchasing a product? I'm really just baffled that you're even pushing such a flimsy position.

"This is as far as I'm willing to go on this. I know what you think, you know what I think. But trying to make it bigger than that gets us nowhere."

Fair enough, but you do know that there are a hell of alot of people that agree. A hell of a lot of Android users, the vast majority of device reviews, etc etc... Samsung is not great with build quality. The fact that it keep coming up again and again and again should tell you that. That issue isnt coming up for Moto, sony, HTC, LG, Apple or any other major OEM - just Samsung.

On the other hand - point taken, who sells the most? Sammy do. As I have said before, it isn't that they break, or fail. It's just not a very HQ design.

quote: Fair enough, but you do know that there are a hell of alot of people that agree.

That's to be expected from such a huge market, yes.

quote: Samsung is not great with build quality.

And you're entitled to that opinion.

quote: That issue isnt coming up for Moto, sony, HTC, LG, Apple or any other major OEM - just Samsung.

Okay now my BS detector is going off. Moto, Sony, HTC, and LG's sales are a joke compared to Samsung's. So yeah obviously "less" people are going to complain.

If you honestly want to pretend that out of EVERY major phonemaker, only Samsung has quality control issues then you are just biased and fooling yourself.

And WOW, Apple? Man who are you anymore? You've TOTALLY jumped the shark. I don't even know who I'm talking to. Did you forget "holding it wrong"??

Apple recognizes defective power button 19 months after manufacture and agrees to fix them. Thank you Apple for at least admitting you're not perfect and not telling me I'm holding it wrong. btw this isn't new, Apple power/home buttons have been failing for years, so much for the 'build quality' myth.

Samsung has maybe defective cameras on some phones and within 2 weeks of launch agrees to replace the entire phone for free.

And yet Apple gets all kinds of positive press while Samsung gets bashed.

"If you honestly want to pretend that out of EVERY major phonemaker, only Samsung has quality control issues then you are just biased and fooling yourself."

I always feel like we are talking about different things when this subject comes up. I am not talking about quality control. A QC defect is when a product leaves the factory and it isnt up to spec, or has some issue that causes failure. That is not at all the subject matter here. Samsung is pretty good with regards ot QC and considering how many phones they make, that says alot of good things.

This is when a perfectly built 100 to spec Samsung S3,S4,S5 Note,2,3 leaves the factory 100% perfect, it is still not as well built as others. We are talking solid design, perfectly fit front, back, bezel, a high quality part. Samsung uses cheap rickety plastic, where others dont... And yes, like it or not, Apple has good build quality, it's the OS and specs that drag it down. Even others using plastic have a better build quality. I feel like we have been over this too many times.

Because you insist on using the wrong goddamn terminology. I've corrected you on this a zillion times, but you don't care.

What you are talking about is "fit and finish". NOT "build quality." When will you get a clue?

Anyway it would have been nice to discuss the only QHD phablet on the market with Stylus support, removable batteries, and an SD slot. But oh well, as usual whenever Samsung comes up, you had to go on a "build quality" threadcap.

Uh... What we are discussing above is called "build quality". The entire industry calls it that. Everyone here knows what we are talking about. When people complain about Samsungs build quality, that is what they are referring to.

quote: Because you insist on using the wrong goddamn terminology. I've corrected you on this a zillion times, but you don't care.

retrospooty rightly doesn't care, because he IS using the correct terminology. You, however, do not.

quote: What you are talking about is "fit and finish". NOT "build quality." When will you get a clue?

I don't think you know what you think it means.

"Fit and finish" IS "build quality", and allow me to lay down the gauntlet into the ring: Samsung's build quality SUCKS. The appearance and impression of what you frequently claim as "high quality" simply are not there.

Oh, your arguments about "fit and finish" were unfounded and without merit? You immediately change the subject and talk about sales numbers. Way to spin yourself like a tonyswash whenever you're backed into a corner. Way to claim "I'm staying out of this thread" when you're fully invested in it, defending your baby with as much propensity as Nortel defending Apple.

My $199 Nokia 625, admittedly a budget phone, has better build quality relative to its price than a $499-599 Samsung GS4. If one of my purchase criteria involves build quality, I'd rather Samsung pay me to use their plastic crud of a phone - even the cheap Shenzhen knockoffs are built better than THAT.

Actually you are wrong and Reclamer77 is right. Fit and finish is how something feels in your hand and way it fits together.

Build Quality is the direct quality of the materials used in the device. Although Samsung uses plastic Build Quality wise, the Galaxy line has a high Build Quality since the plastic they use is a higher quality material than say Coke bottle plastic.

If Samsung had a build quality issue then it would mean that their devices break or the plastic fails in some way that prevents device operation.

To be honest neither really works the describe the "Problem". If I had a problem with plastic Samsung devices use (Which I Don't) "Construction material" is a much more accurate term.

Yes, but the people in the market for that type of executive looking brushed-metal phone likely would never have considered an Android device before owing to the build quality and materials and 90% of them bought the iPhone as the safe choice. HTC's financial stability at the time can't have helped either.

Happily they are back in profit with the M8 and deservedly so, I swapped out the S5 for it and it is, surprisingly, much smoother and better all round. Having said that, the build quality and design on it while unrivalled for Android, is still not at the same level as Apple.

Look at the position Samsung is in. They have to juggle a large screen size with small bezels, while still offering a very thin (because every freaking phone today HAS to be super thin don't ask me why) AND lightweight phone. On top of all that the battery is replaceable requiring a removable backplate.

exactly. I'm not saying i will buy an iphone. Nothing on this earth could make me use an iphone. The missus has one and i find the OS and UI an abomination. I am talking design and build quality. the design of near all it's products seem the same, release after release, and are of poor quality, for what is frankly a very premium price. And it is a shame, because they make other cheaper phones with better build quality than their flagships. So yes, while apple is apple, design and quality wise, i will take apple over samsung any day.

But it is not a problem. I'll take my htc one over apple any day as well :)

What more does one want? Even Apple refreshes are often just faster internal hardware upgrades with the same shell. The iPad 2-4 was essentially the same shell with just upgraded internals (screen resolution included).

For the Note series, I can't ask for much more other than more internal upgrades (faster+more efficient CPU's, more RAM, etc.), I don't want them to change things like: user replaceable battery, and external storage (microsdxc support). I hope they don't change too much with the formula, other than just adding to it (internal bumps, possibly better resolution, maybe some software upgrades--like refining the included software). People are always looking for "outrageous" and "innovation", but sometimes when you've got something out you just need to build upon it. I don't expect to be wow'd at every release.

I keep seeing some folks saying Apple is to a higher standard. I have had Samsung's a while, dropped them and never had to have one replaced, but just about everybody I know that has dropped an i-Phone has had them usually damage the display...a few had them fall apart. Not long ago I was helping a girl find all the parts to her i-Phone she dropped at the checkout in Walgreens.

I think the iPhone is literally designed to break. Seriously if you look at the edge of the iPhone, you can SEE the side of the glass! It goes from edge to edge, with ZERO protection.

Who does that? I think pretty much EVERY phone today besides the iPhone has the bezel protecting the screen. And most have a raised lip around the bezel so the glass CANNOT come in contact with something when dropped.

I really don't get the need for QHD. I have a 5.5" 1080p phone with ~401ppi (similar to the Note 3 at 388 ppi), and you already can't see any pixels. I've tried - but they are already too small to see. I'd rather have a display that works better outdoors (can me brighter without killing battery life).

There is a lot of post on supposed "build quality" with little understanding of what trade-offs cause these perceptions. I have seen many reviews of phones (and other devices) where flex in the plastic and a lack of "solid" feel are brought up. Samsung incorporates a removable back cover with removable battery and storage. This is a really big plus in my opinion. Unfortunately, this is not going to give the same solid feel of a device where everything is glued together, immovable and almost unrepairable. I will take a phone that bends a little instead of breaking.

Also, plastic doesn't give the same solid feel as metal, but it has a lot of advantages as far as grip and impact resistance. This reminds me of the Saturn automobile I once had. The side panels were "cheap plastic", but when someone opened their door into my car, instead of getting dented it would just bounce off with no damage. I have seen a lot of iPhones with broken screens; this doesn't seem like it happens anywhere near as much with Samsung's devices. It also seems like most people end up putting these metal phones in plastic/rubber cases for protection against slipping, sliding, and impact. If I am going to put it in a case, why do I care what the back cover looks like? I had an ipod touch several years ago which would slide off my car seat and go flying until I got a slip proof rubber case for it, so it doesn't really matter that they made the back cover out of metal.

I don't disagree with most of what you are saying, but go pick up an LG G3 in a local mobile store when you get a chance. LG proved that you can make a plastic phone with a removable back cover and have it not feel cheap and rickety like Samsung phones do.

I like the Hardware but Samsung puts too much software on their phones.

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